Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted
by SempiternalMischief
Summary: Charles Craven is a police man of 20 years, and yet he has never come across a mass murder case such as this one. Bonds will be tested and the horrible truth of who he can really trust is revealed in the most painful way. Can he cope with the devastation of loosing one of his family members to this mass murderer, the assassin.


**Chapter One: The Raven**

* * *

"Dong," the first bell stuck in the dark cold skies of London. The sound echoed out and the birds nestled on the great clock cawed out in their protest to the loud noise. "Dong," the second bell sent them flying away from the tower into the smog filled air. A figure, the size of a grown man, face shrouded by a hood, sat on the edge of the of the towers top right in front of the clock face. "Dong," the third and final bell of the hour sounded out, the birds knowing it to be the last for now fluttered back to their spots as a pair of shoes scuffed on the side of towering clock. The birds never did settle back into their spots though, a big black and very sleek raven had scared them off instead. It gave a loud "CAW CAW" and the figure was gone...

_Click_ "November the fifth, twenty-twelve, victim; a mister Ronald Oldens, approximately fourty- five years of age. Cause of death; a stab wound to the back, left side." _Click._ A man of around fourty years of age was kneeling down next to a now lifeless body speaking to a hand held voice recorder. He stood up with a saddened look to his pale green eyes and put the recorder in the pocket of his coat as the medical team there gathered up the body and police gathered up any evidence and took pictures of what they thought to be important.

"Inspector Craven, Sir?"

The man turned to the sound of his timid assistances soft voice and met green eyes to a simple pair of brown ones laid on a very boyish face, though the guy was easily 20 years younger than the Inspector. "Yes Parkens?"

"Uh, uhm, the uh, Commissioner has called for you in his office as soon as, uh, possible, uhm, sir." Parkens was never good at crime scenes but Craven felt is necessary for him to over come the fear of dead bodies eventually and dragged him along anyway. Every time Parkens was around a dead body he became very flustered with what to do with himself and had the almost annoying habit of saying "uh" or "uhm" too many times and shifting his weight between his feet every second. Some times even twirling his fingers around a lock of curly brown hair that hung to the right side of his face all the time.

"Very well, shall we leave at once then? I have everything I need for my report."

"Of course Sir." Parkens nodded.

"Then let us be off."

Craven and Parkens went to the standard police car given to them daily and set off to the station at once, there was small talk about personal trifles and who keeps on eating Parkens lunch at the office but it was quickly gone once the seriousness vibe of the station crept upon their minds. They exited the vehicle and went inside. Perkens went to his desk with the voice recorder to go and start on the report while Craven went straight to the Commissioners office without a word to anyone else.

He knocked on the door and let himself in, "Sir you wanted to see me?" Craven closed the door behind himself and stood up straight and tall at an even six foot. His dirty blonde hair coming down to his cheek bones and neatly curling on the back of his neck, resting against the collar of his plain black suit and white dress shirt.

"Ah, yes, I did." The Commissioner turned in his chair to look at the Inspector. He was a shorter man of five foot four, a plump figure and a mustache that would tickle any woman's skin from a quick peck. He had dark wavy brown hair that was cut short and combed as neatly as his symmetric mustache. He was currently smoking on a very expensive cigar, unknown to Craven as he was not really all that inclined to smoke or have people smoke around him. "I wanted to talk about all these recent murders..."

"I thought you might, Sir."

"Have a seat Craven."

"Thank you Sir." Craven took a seat in front of the Commissioners desk as he was prompted to do so.

The Commissioner took a deep breath of his cigar and blew it out to the left, away from Craven. "This is a very troubling time..."

"I agree Sir."

"Yes, yes, but this cannot go on for much longer. I will not stand for it."

"I understand that Sir."

"Quite. So, i'll just get right onto it then, I want you to lead an investigation team-"

"Sir-!" Craven was taken quite aback at the words, hardly believing them true, "-but, there must be someone more qualified than me to lead an investigation team for this kind of case..." He stared at the Commissioner in bewilderment.

The Commissioner let out a bellowing laugh, "Great scott man! I'm giving you a promotion!" He continues his laughter at the surprised look painted on Cravens face, "Now take the rest of the day off to let it soak in and be here at dawn to start, got it?"

"..uh...y-yes Sir, of course." Craven stood up still astonished at the out come and left as the Commissioner shooed him away. He left with the look of amazement still on his face all the way till he got home to his wife and son.

* * *

At the dinner table is usually where families share their days stories, it was no different than every other night but the excitement of the promotion was making Craven beam. He refused to tell his darling lovely wife until he had heard about her day though.

"Fine then," The soft and sweet voice of Constance Craven sounded softly at her husbands stubborn attitude tonight. "The flower shop was busy again today but only for a little while, I received another call for a funeral order..but other than that is was quiet." Constance moved her hand up to her forehead to push away the lock of long black hair that had found its way into her face. She looked at her husband with beaming blue eyes then to her son. "How was your day dear? You haven't been over for dinner lately.."

"I apologize mum, things have just come up with work and school I had to stay late and I didn't wish to keep you two waiting."

"Its quite alright darling, so tell me Ben, how has your work been?" Constance smiled at her son with soft pink lips and a perfectly smooth face.

The same looking pair of lips smiled back, "Its been going great" brilliant electric blue eyes shined back at his mother and Ben's medium length black hair fell into his face slightly. "How's work for you, dad?"

"Oh yes Charles, tell me now how work was." Constance turned her sweet smile to her husband.

"I've been promoted." Charles beamed at his family as he gained his congratulations, "to Superintendent Charles Craven" he chuckled at the pride of his new title and continued, "ill to be leading an investigation to the killings lately that have been going on, starting tomorrow."

The sounds kind of mixed and blurred out of Bens mind as he heard the last part, he glanced at his parents, his mother praising his father and his father beaming proudly to her. For a split second it felt as if time stopped and Bens attitude changed to something sinister, then he was back to smiling at his parents when they looked to him for his appraisal.

"TAP TAP TAP" The loudness of the tapping started Constance and Charles. All three of the family looked to the window which was seeable by the dinner table and saw a raven,."CAW CAW" it yelled at them then flew off. To Constance and Charles it was just a strange bird, they took nothing of it and went to the living room to read their books as they do every night after dinner. Ben, however, went and quietly opened the window and took a small metal tube filled with a note from the sill and closed the window. He said his goodbyes to his parents and returned to his apartment. Once home he locked the door, turned on a single light and opened up the small tube. Out of it came a curled up picture and a name and address written in red ink on the back.

"_Jackson Harvey, 116 North Chester"_


End file.
